Not Your Typical Snape
by Bill Weasley's Girl
Summary: There's a new Snape in town for the winter holidays. She's Harry and Ron's age and staying with her uncle for a little while. This is not a romance repeat: this is not a romance. Thank you. Please don't discount this just because there's a new character.
1. A Visitor

AN: This is a story that came to me at about eleven o'clock one night before i went to sleep. The plot get's a little cliched in places, but the female character is in no way shape or form going to be dating either Ron or Harry. Platonic relationships do work here in fanfic land. Well enjoy reading and please review. BTW. Nothing in here is owned by me. JK Rowling owns it all. And the new character is built on JK's stuff, so I have very little claim to even her. Thanx a bunch.   
  
  
"Why dearie aren't you supposed to be at King's Cross Station?" the snack witch on the Hogwarts Express asked a sad-looking young girl sitting in the far corner of the last compartment of the train.   
             
"Unfortunately,no. I'm on my way to Hogwarts for the holidays, see?" the young girl said,thrusting the ticket in the direction of the witch. This young girl was actually a fifteen-year-old girl by the name of Elizabeth Snape.  
             
"Well then.We'll just have to get you some food now won't we?" the kindly witch asked.   
             
"That would be fine with me. Thank you very much," Elizabeth said, pulling her dark blue eyes up to meet the witch's. They held a sad, tortured look that unnerved the witch as she smiled distantly at the girl.   
             
Upon exiting the train Elizabeth was taken by horseless carriage to the castle. She was greeted by none other than Albus Dumbledore himself.  
              
"Well Elizabeth, it's good to see you," the old wizard said with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "I hear you've been causing quite a stir at Beauxbatons this year," he added mildly, leading her though twisting hallways until they reached the Great Hall. She smiled a little at that 'stir' was a mild word to use…  
              
"Um,Professor Dumbledore, Sir, I was wondering where I am going to stay for the next two weeks, since I don't actually have a House to stay in," Elizabeth offered timidly.  
             
"Well, we could either put you in the dungeons with your uncle and his House or we could make you an honorary Hogwarts student and put the Sorting Hat on you."  
              
A light inside Elizabeth's eyes shone very brightly. "Could I please try the Sorting Hat on! I've read lots and lots about it at school. Everyone will just be so jealous."  
              
"Well then milady, before we commence with the evening's feast we will go to my office and make you a Hogwarts student."  
              
Winding their way even deeper into the castle Dumbledore and Elizabeth finally paused in front of a large stone gargoyle. "Chocolate Chip" Elizabeth watched amused as the wall slid open to reveal the revolving staircase. She followed silently until they were seated in his office.  
              
"Sorting Hat, I'd like to ask a favor of you," Dumbledore said solemnly to a tattered wizards' hat sitting on one of his shelves.  
              
"But of course Headmaster," the hat said jovially, twitching a little as it spoke.  
              
"I'd like you to sort this nice young lady here. Her name is Elizabeth Snape and she is here for the holidays, spending them with her uncle. Here you go, just put it on and the hat will tell you which house you're to be in," he said handing thehat over.   
              
Elizabeth put it on. _Well well, a Snape aye? That makes you a prime candidate for Slytherin you see. But what is this? You've got enough brains for me to put you into Ravenclaw without batting a brim. And Gryffindor, my, my, this is interesting.It seems Godric is there too.  You seem to favor the bravery of the Lion more than the cunning of the Snake. This will definitely influence you choices for the future. I think I'll make you a GRYFFINDOR_!" the hat said merrily.  
              
"Well Elizabeth it seems we have ourselves a new Gryffindor I see. Here, I'll take you to their common room. Only two other girls are spending the holidays from that House. You may share a room with them for the time being," Dumbledore said as he led her back down the spiraling staircase.  
              
After giving the Fat Lady the new password, "Egg Nog," Elizabeth was thrust on to a comfortingly familiar scene of high-backed plush chairs and red carpet with a roaring fire lighting the entire room.   
              
"Harry,Ron, Ginny, Hermione, I'd like to introduce you to your new housemate for the holidays. Her name is Elizabeth and if you would be so kind as to share a room with her girls?" Dumbledore said kindly eyes twinkling.  
              
"Hi Elizabeth, I'm Ron Weasley," Ron said practically tripping over himself to get over and shake hands with Elizabeth, "That great prat over there is Harry Potter,the bookworm with the brown hair is Hermione Granger and the red head is none other than my favorite, not to mention only, sister, Ginny Weasley."  
              
Elizabeth smiled. She was going to like it here. Potter? Harry Potter? It couldn't be. She realized she was his age but….   
             
"I'm Elizabeth Snape," her smile faded when the group gave a collective gasp at her last name. "Hey, only the name is Snape, I am nothing like my dear darling uncle who I've gathered rules the dungeons around here. I only got forced to stay with, and this is one of my favorite phrases in the world 'my only living relative' for the holidays so Beauxbatons doesn't expel me and I'd be forced to attend here with Uncle Severus. Luckily, Professor Dumbledore was nice enough to let the Sorting Hat do the job and pick where I stayed for me."  
              
Harry gave a snort at the phrase 'only living relative' it's not like he was very happy with his either. "So, Elizabeth, where do you go to school, since obviously you are a witch," Harry said trying to make conversation.   
             
"Well, I go to Beauxbatons, but probably not much longer. I almost got expelled for bewitching a girl's quill to jab her every time she wrote the words 'crystal ball.' Unfortunately for her, she was in advanced Divination."  
              
Ron laughed. And filed away that prank for later use on Lavender. This girl didn't sound like a Snape, in fact she sounded just like a Weasley. "Is Beauxbatons nice? The only opinions I've ever encountered were those of Fleur Delacour."  
              
Elizabeth made a face. "Yeah, she seems to think that the only reason our school exists is her presence on this earth. My bum that's the reason!!"  
              
Harry smiled benignly at Elizabeth. He was thinking how familiar that laugh was. Oh well, he thought, shaking it off, lots of laughs sound the same. "Well, make yourself comfortable. We were just planning our next assault on the Slytherin Common Room. Got any inside info?"  
              
Elizabeth smiled a lopsided smirk. "I hate to break this to you, but Uncle Severus isn't overly fond of me, or my very existence. It seems he had some issues with my father, whoever her was."  
              
"You don't know who your father was?" Hermione asked surprised.  
              
"Not an idea. I only know is first name was William. This helps me not. Do you realize how many Williams there are and were in this world?"  
              
"So your mom was a Snape?" Harry asked. He'd always thought Snape had to have been an only child. How could there have been any more of them?  
              
"Yeah, mom and her brother weren't on speaking terms. It seems she didn't quite approve of his friends at that point in time," she said heavily, "Hey, why don't we go down and get some food eh?"  
             
"My stomach's telling me the same thing. Let's be off shall we?" Ron said pulling Ginny and Hermione up from the couch and toward the portrait hole.   
  
  
  
  



	2. Chrismas Eve Chats

AN: This again, isn't what I expected it to be, but I have to set up a few things in the plot before I can just come out and give away the entire story. Sorry about that. Again, the female character is not going to have any romantic interest in Harry or Ron. Well, have fun reading and please review. ~Bobbi  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, JK Rowling owns all...... but if I did own Bill Weasley...... well, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this on a Sunday morning.....  
  
In the great hall there was only one table set up, since few people were staying for the holidays. Fred and George had gone home but Mrs. Weasley had agreed it was for the best that Ron and Ginny stay, if only to keep Hermione and Harry company. Hermione's parents were in America, visiting relatives who weren't quite aware of Hermione's.... ehm....... talent.   
  
At the other end of the table, Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy held down the fort for Slytherin, Jacob VanReich and Kelly Ashland were the only Ravenclaws and all the Hufflepuffs had gone home. Professors Sprout, McGonnagol, Dumbledore, Snape, Vector and Flitwick were all there as well.   
  
"Uncle Severus, would you please pass the potatoes?" Elizabeth asked, smiling falsely at her uncle.  
  
"Here," he said, shoving them toward the 'Gryffindor end' of the table, his sneer growing. It reached its apex when he glanced to her right, at Harry.   
  
Malfoy almost had roast beef coming out of his nose. "Uncle???" he sputtered, trying to regain some dignity.   
  
"Yes, Malfoy. Uncle. This young woman is Elizabeth--" he paused, as if trying to decide what her last name was, "Snape. She is my sister's daughter. As you may well have noticed Elizabeth is a Gryffindor for the time being."  
  
"How...." Malfoy quailed under the glare Snape sent his way. "Professor Flitwick, would you please pass the pumpkin juice?"  
  
Back in the Common Room later that night, Elizabeth gazed into the fire, wondering who her father was. It was always around Christmas time that she missed her parents the most. Obviously, she had never known her father, but still, there was a longing for a father figure that she never escaped. In the beginning she'd looked for a father figure in Uncle Severus, but a fat lot of good that had done her.   
  
"Elizabeth?" Hermione said timidly stepping into the room.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"It's just about time to come upstairs. I just thought I'd tell you."  
  
"Thanks. I'll be up in a minute," Elizabeth said sighing and giving the fire one last glance.  
  
Upstairs Elizabeth pulled out her only gift from her father, a stuffed eagle. She'd named him Will, after him. His feathers were ratty and barely recognizable any more, but he was hers. Elizabeth hugged Will to her and sat down to write a letter to her mother. She did that every Christmas and Easter, her mother's favorite holidays. She always sent her mother's letters to Hogsmeade, where her mother was buried. This year, she'd place the letter at her mother's grave herself.   
  
"What's that?" Ginny asked, peeking over Elizabeth's shoulder.  
  
"This?" Elizabeth said holding Will up, "He's the stuffed animal my father gave me before he disappeared. His name's Will. And this," she said gesturing to the parchment, "is a letter to my mother I write them on holidays, just so she knows I still think of her though she's not here."  
  
"Oh..." Ginny couldn't think of an appropriate response to either statement.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So Harry, what do you think of Elizabeth?" Ron asked, plopping down on his bed.  
  
"She seems nice enough, although I keep getting this nagging sensation that we've met before. She's so familiar," Harry said laying back and looking at his canopy. "It's kind of odd though, because she reminds me of someone or something long ago, even before...." his finger traced the scar running down his forehead. Harry sighed and rolled over.   
  
"She seems great. I would love to introduce her to Fred and George. They'd take to her easily. I wonder if dung bombs are the same in France....." Ron continued on this vein, about Filibuster Fireworks and went right into Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavor Beans. "Harry?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"What's wrong? You haven't been yourself today," Ron said sympathetically.  
  
"There's a few reasons and they all revolve around the fact that I have absolutely no family. Yeah, I've got Remus and Sirius, but they can't be around all the time and my Mum and Dad are dead, buried in Godric's Hollow and then I see you and your huge, loving family and I just get jealous. You know?"  
  
"Believe me, jealousy works both ways my friend. I look at my family, we don't have quite enough money, ever. I'm the sixth boy, so much to live up to. Then I look at you, with your Quidditch skills and your fame and your money and think what a nice place it would be if I had that," Ron said staring at the floor. "I know you go through hell every time something happens, but just one day I'd like to have what you have."  
  
"Y'know Ron, sometimes I think we should just switch places for a week. That's wishful thinking," Harry paused, "G'night Ron. And if it's past midnight, Merry Christmas." 


	3. Christmas Morning. A Few Surprises.

AN: I apologize for my lack of effort to update anything within the past few months. I know it's mostly my fault, but hey, I can complain about college applications... They take so much time and they all want about two essays. Needless to say, my writing creativity went out the window. (And it still might be there) Please just read along and tell me about the major problems. Well, enjoy.  
  
DISCLAIMER: JKR owns all Harry Potter stuff, so does Warner Brothers. I don't own anything.   
  
  
  
Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a renewed sense of hope about the world. Sure she was still an orphan whose only relative wasn't too fond of her and as far as she knew he wasn't getting any kinder to her, but she was making friends and actually enjoying her holidays for once, unlike those lonely years spent at Beauxbatons with only Madame Maxime to talk to.   
  
"What's this?" Elizabeth muttered, peering over the end of her bed at a small pile of gifts. "Maybe the owls got mixed up as to whose bed was whose......"  
  
"Or maybe someone thought you should get a decent Christmas present..." a kind voice said from behind her.   
  
Elizabeth swiveled quickly. Ginny Weasley, red hair covered in bows and grinning madly was holding a present eagerly out to Elizabeth. "The only Christmas present I usually get is a card from the Headmistress and a bag of money from dearest Uncle Severus," Elizabeth said, embarrassed although adding a little hint of sarcasm on the word dearest.   
  
"This year you'll definitely enjoy yourself. We're all meeting in the Common Room after we open our presents to go to breakfast. So you'd better start unwrapping," Ginny said, tearing into a box that was quivering a little and had the label "Weasley's Wizard Weezes. Be careful Ginny."  
  
Elizabeth looked back at her meager pile of presents. There was the card from Madame Maxime and Snape's bag of gold, but two other gifts sat on top of them. One was wrapped in delicate silver paper while the other was wrapped in paper that looked suspiciously like parchment. She picked up the parchment present. The tag said "To: Elizabeth, From: Hermione and Ginny." That stated it simply enough. Another paper fell off the gift, this time with delicate handwriting. "We're ever so sorry we couldn't go out and purchase you a gift, but since you arrived yesterday, we pooled our resources and tried to make the best of what we had. Taking into account that Hermione is the cleverest witch in this castle, you're in luck. Merry Christmas." Curiosity running wild, Elizabeth tore off the parchment and smiled as she saw her very first Christmas gift from a friend, not an adult who simply felt obligated to give her a gift. They'd given her a journal, but not just any journal. This one had a picture of an eagle that looked suspiciously like Will, except in better condition, walking around on the cover screeching occasionally up at her. The front page read, "We've seen you thinking a great deal, even in the short time we've known you. Hopefully writing down whatever's bothering you can alleviate the burden you seem to be carrying. Merry Christmas, from Hermione and Ginny."  
  
"Oh, you didn't have to!" Elizabeth cried, looking up at Ginny who was now holding two wands, glancing back and forth between them.   
  
"But I wanted to. I've seen Harry on Christmas and you two have similar situations although, at least your relative sends you money as opposed to trash..." Ginny said thoughtfully, "I still can't believe that man has any relations."  
  
"Neither can I. Do you know who sent this one?" Elizabeth said, picking up the silver package and inspecting it.   
  
"Nope. It wasn't there when Hermione and I went to bed last night. Open it and find out," Ginny glared at her wands, still looking intently between the two. "Fred and George will pay for this."  
  
Elizabeth slowly unwrapped the present, silently wondering who could have sent it. The people at Beauxbatons barely tolerated her presence, she had no other relatives and she'd already gotten a present from Ginny and Hermione. Who was it from?  
  
The box opened to reveal a battered book with a Gryffindor lion on the cover. Curious, Elizabeth slowly pulled it out of the box. It was a diary, she was sure of it. She opened the cover and it read "William's-Hands Off!!!" in bold red letters on the gold background. Was this what she thought it was? Could it possibly be? She settled back against her headboard to read a little further.  
"Hi, William here. I just got this journal for my eleventh birthday. Jamie keeps insisting it's a diary but it's not! I'll be starting Hogwarts soon. My best friend is too. His name is Joshua Kenton. I hope he's in Gryffinor. I'm pretty much guaranteed it, but even I can't say for sure I guess. Well, Mum's pounding on my door. Time to get breakfast. I'll write again later."  
  
Where could this have come from? Elizabeth wondered silently, sitting back to read more.   
  
"I got to Hogwarts today. And yes, I'm in Gryffindor like I thought. Josh made it in too, so now all we have to deal with is annoying old Jamie and all of those annoying fourth year friends. Josh and I met the transfiguration teacher too. Boy, is she scary. Too bad I want to be an animagus some day. Hopefully the potions teacher isn't too bad. He seems fair enough. Aspwhite is his name I think. Professor Dumbledore is the greatest, too bad he doesn't actually teach a class. I can't believe I already have homework to do. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is really strict. He said something about never being too early to begin the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named. Speaking of that... I know he's really scary and evil and all, but I still don't get why he "must not be named" I mean, he's got to have a name right? Wouldn't it just be easier to call him "Ted" or "Al" or whatever his name is? It'd definitely make him a lot less scary. Well, it's lights out and the prefects are going to be coming by pretty soon. Good night."  
  
Elizabeth put down the diary thoughtfully. Whoever had sent her this must have known her father, for that was who she had a sneaking suspicion William was, from before her birth, and must know exactly who he was. Elizabeth made up her mind then and there to find out who this mysterious gift giver was and to learn once and for all who her father was.   
  
"What is it?" Ginny asked curiously, after throwing both wands down on her bed in disgust.   
  
"A diary. I think it was my dad's. It's full of writing. My dad was a Gryffindor too."  
  
"Interesting. Well, down we go then. Breakfast awaits," Ginny said, making for the door.   
  
"Alright," Elizabeth said with some hesitation. She would have liked to keep reading, but figured it would be best if she appeased her stomach. Hopping out of bed Elizabeth followed Ginny down the stairs into the common room. 


End file.
